The custom of crossing the line was immediately adopted following the formation of the Royal Australian Navy, as seen here onboard HMAS Australia (I) in 1913. All rights reserved. Those who have not crossed are nicknamed Pollywogs, or Slimy Pollywogs, or sometimes simply Slimy Wogs. Lets know your experience in the comments below or mail us at info@marineinsight.com. The custom of crossing the line was immediately adopted following the formation of the Royal Australian Navy, as seen here onboard HMAS Australia (I) in 1913. [10], U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt described his crossing-the-line ceremony aboard the "Happy Ship" USSIndianapolis with his "Jolly Companions" in a letter to his wife Eleanor Roosevelt on 26 November 1936. Using a speaking trumpet he questioned Neptune, who would visit them the next morning. privacy policy. The coverage provoked widespread criticism, especially when the videotape showed some of the submarine's officers watching the entire proceedings from the conning tower. Youwill see old military footage from an actual King Neptune Ceremony. King Neptune goes to make an earnest speech and accepts the ushering of the sailor into the sea under the auspice of Her Majesty! This said, the party doesnt end here! Their most recent ceremony was during the summer of 2019, on the TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik. The whole ship was a shower bath: & water was flying about in every direction: of course not one person, even the Captain, got clear of being wet through." endobj There, they crawled down a gauntlet of Shellbacks on both sides of a long, heavy canvas runner, about 1012 meters. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. WebCrossing The Equator (The Script of the Ceremony in HMCS Stettler 1957 February 26, 1957 at 106 East Longitude) (Name of original author not recorded 1957) Note to Reader: This is a typical script for a Crossing the Line ceremony. '03aE,#M5fr0|\fs9_'_-Qrzm"\~+?NUzUwx_|],Lf,[~]lly_e)ETJJ Gz#. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. As with most healthy traditions, the small indignities are a symbolism for inclusion and frolic. From Wog to Shellback. U.S. Navy website: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=75241. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. In the last decades of the 20th century, the Crossing of the Equator or Equator Crossing Ceremony took the form of a joyous celebration meant to entertain the whole crew, by offering everybody on board a few hours of fun and relaxation. WebEquator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are common in the Navy and are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and cruise ships. As we approach the middle of the world, quite a few passengers rush to the rails for a look, as though there might be an actual line drawn on the ocean. The Star Spangled Shellbacks was used for those crossing the equator on July 4th, 1966. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. Perhaps the most famous scientist to be initiated was Charles Darwin, who wrote about it in his diary. Shilavadra Bhattacharjee is a shipbroker with a background in commercial operations after having sailed onboard as a Third Officer. Then, they are offered a glass of red liquid a combination of sea water and spices which must be drunk thoroughly. Sailors and Marines from the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Uruguay crossed the equator together aboard the USS New Orleans. The ritual is the subject of a painting by Matthew Benedict named The Mariner's Baptism and of a 1961 book by Henning Henningsen named Crossing the Equator: Sailor's Baptism and Other Initiation Rites. As is with all cadets, sleep is the all-engulfing element that overpowers the necessity to change ones boiler suit and go in for a shower! 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Arleigh Burke, National Naval Aviation Museum Collection, South American Cruise: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Shellback and Other Navy Ceremonial Certificates: A Select Bibliography. The ceremony is carefully orchestrated by the ship's officers, with some sailors reporting the events to be lackluster due to the removal of the rites of initiation. VA-approved lender. There were pageants where wogs were forced to crossdress in front of their superiors, and then spend the rest of their day performing often degrading tasks. The fun has just begun, and its going to continue for another 24 hours. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. 1. realtor.com is hosting and helping to administer and promote the sweepstakes. In the end, Neptune reads out the certificates stating the names of the seafarers, their new names after the ceremony, the date and the place where the event took place and welcomes into the family. most of the others were treated much worse, dirty mixtures being put in their mouths & rubbed on their faces. Hersh writes: Pollywogs who are disliked, or who are suspected of being gay, receive especially harsh treatment, while favored wogs or high-ranking wogs are often pulled out of the ritual early, or are permitted to go through it without too much harassment.. The Navy has spent decades trying to rein in on hazing; the line-crossing ceremony represents a great deal of this. The shellbacks had prepared 3-foot lengths of canvas/rubber firehose, which they swung hard at the posterior of each Wog. hVYoH+=#E Mclu"m*~Ks4/ mF[S,N8Z tpX#?H8Aao5Fh7FAc1!)o5Sq. Learn how your comment data is processed. Wogs then returned to the forecastle, where they were hosed off by firehose and then allowed to kiss, in turn, the belly of the sea-baby, the foot of the sea-hag, and the ring of King Neptune, each personified by Shellbacks. Did mine in 1978 in the Indian Ocean on the SS Lepeta. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. May you always sail in safe seas and always find your way back home! Cast of characters during a Crossing the Line ceremony, DANFS - Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Permitting Policy and Resource Management, The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks: 20 Years Later, "Ex Scientia Tridens": The U.S. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. Equator Crossing or Baptism Ceremony Showing gratitude towards the sea and its masters may come in the form of a whispering pray behind the four walls of your cabin, but it sometimes requires a loud shout and a real ceremony which must be attended by everybody else on board. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. <> hbbd```b``"ZA$Sd&0,4 ,FHXL*H(H2 2 At sea you are not woman or man, you are sailor. [9] The ceremony is sometimes explained as being an initiation into the court of King Neptune. A VA approved lender; Not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. The US Navy holds a massive, two-day line crossing ceremony wherein experienced sailors (those who have been across the equator) are called Shellbacks, Trusty Shellbacks and Honorable Shellbacks, the Sons of Neptune. What you should not forget. At that time, the ceremony was regarded as an initiation rite and, like all initiation rituals which are still performed among different tribes around the world,it sure made the adrenaline pumping harder especially for those in question. Download image. 2023 New Year, New Home $75K Veteran Homebuyer Giveaway, the Sirens and Sea Monsters of the Odyssey, Check if you meet the official VA loan requirements, Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics, Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Directory. During the ceremony, the Pollywogs undergo a number of increasingly embarrassing ordeals (wearing clothing inside out and backwards; crawling on hands and knees on nonskid-coated decks; being swatted with short lengths of firehose; being locked in stocks & pillories and pelted with mushy fruit; being locked in a water coffin of salt-water and bright green sea dye [fluorescent sodium salt]; crawling through chutes or large tubs of rotting garbage; kissing the Royal Baby's belly coated with axle grease, hair chopping, etc. Wogs (all of the uninitiated) are allowed to capture and interrogate any Shellbacks they can find (e.g., tying them up, cracking eggs or pouring aftershave lotion on their heads). There are still cases in which seafarers are put to difficult and embarrassing tests sometimes humiliating and even painful experiences in order to receive the blessing of a very unkind and unfair God.The ones who received the same harsh treatment years before are more likely to perform the same unkind ceremony on the new comers and the more humiliating the situation is the happier they are. endobj Mind you, no harm or hurt is involved, however the minor embarrassments must be taken in the right spirit. The luxury cruise ship that doubles as a science vessel, instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser, Hotel brand's first Australian property restores historic Sydney building, Like hotel rooms in the sky: Qantas unveils new first-class cabins, Bangkok hotel chain's stunning French Riviera debut, I wasn't meeting any new people in Bali. The tradition began with the Navy over 400 years ago, says anthropology and sociology professor Carie Little Hersh in her 2002 paper Crossing the Line: Sex, Power, Justice, and the U.S. Navy at the Equator. Given its long history, the ritual has changed over the years, but it remains a well-knownalbeit sometimes controversiallinchpin of Naval culture. WebAlthough crossing the equator may seem like a routine event for any modern-day naval vessel, navies have celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries. See the current VA disability pay charts, and calculate your monthly compensation. From their ships berth, floating in the middle of the ocean, they are ushered into a room to begin the trial. This is a usually light-hearted event that allows the ships crew to take some time out from their hectic schedules and have fun with the rest of the crewmates. High ranking members of the crew and those who have been Shellbacks the longest dress up in elaborate costume and each play the part of King Neptune's court. It was also called crossing the line. and 18, stream Then my phone battery died, Eight destinations that films and TV shows changed forever, From borders to tunnels, here are 10 of the world's astonishingly long things, Get free shore excursions, beverages and shipboard credit with Oceania Cruises, Get $1500 in bonus value on Fiji island escape, Get $450 in bonus value on Fraser Island holiday, See Vivid Sydney and get a $600 bonus on your stay. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Anything else the Shellbacks could think of. This part is the beginning of the ritual wherein they are stripped down to their underwear (or nothing!) The first "griffin" was Charles Darwin, who noted in his diary how he "was then placed on a plank, which could be easily tilted up into a large bath of water. What proceeds is a day of festivities, which builds camaraderie among the seafaring crew. [5], By the eighteenth century, there were well-established line-crossing rituals in the British Royal Navy. Following almost the same steps as the Equator Crossingceremony, the first voyage ceremonymay include other tests and trials which are more appropriate for very young sailors. (Photo: An illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. The scientist I spoke to was also proud of her line-crossing, describing it as really positive. But from her account, the experience seems to have been an inclusive, constructive one, fully compatible with what the Navy member called political correctness. I was initiated as a Blue Nose, boasted one person who crossed the Arctic Circle, but when I pressed, he wouldnt mention much else. But there are also times when myseafarers are busy, with bunkering, or they are doing other work. [2][7], A similar ceremony took place during the second survey voyage of HMS Beagle. Our modern practice is believed to have evolved from Viking rituals, executed upon crossing the 30th parallel, a tradition Retrieved June 7, 2017. Beside him is seated his wife, Queen Amphitrite and theyre both surrounded by a few more (including a Davy Jones impersonator) to replicate a royal proceeding. Interrogations were held by King Neptune and his entourage who used truth serum (aftershave and hot sauce), or whole uncooked eggs in the Pollywoggers mouth. The Iron Shellback are those on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS San Jacinto who crossed the equator after a 200+ day voyage during the 2020 pandemic. Photo: Getty Images A Pollywog makes the transition to Shellback. Myriad approaches to conducting the ceremony will yield myriad accounts. VA disability pay for 2023 increased by 8.7%. The Iron Shellback are those on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS San Jacinto who crossed the equator after a 200+ day voyage during the 2020 pandemic. at last, glad enough, I escaped. Read about: Joining Ship? They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. The ceremony observes a mariner's transformation from slimy Pollywog, a seaman who hasn't crossed the equator, to trusty Shellback, also called a Son or Daughter of Neptune. Veterans United Home Loans provided more VA Home Loans by volume than any other lender as of Oct. 2022. I remember the shock I had as soon as I discovered that half of the Filipinos on board were gathered there, some of them dressed up like pirates with funny dresses, tattoos, wigs made up from cleaning mops and a whole arsenal of wooden weapons. #ashmore #sailingships #tallships #youngadult #historicalfiction #truestory #captain #shipsurgeon #interactiveadventure #kiwiauthor #immigration #youngadultfiction #kingneptune #ceremony #crossingthequator #shellbacks #pollywoggers #sonsofneptune. [6], Captain Robert FitzRoy of HMSBeagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Thanks for reading and watching my BLINK. (Photo: A Neptune party to celebrate crossing the equator, 1923. Some people may find this a silly game, but seafarers know for certain that receiving the blessing from the God of the Sea is always an honor and must be regarded as such.Equator Crossing ceremony is just a humble way of recognizing Neptune as Master of the Seas and all the seafarers who receive Neptunes permission to sail his waters have to be celebrated and congratulated by all the crew on board. The two-day event (evening and day) is a ritual in which previously inducted crew members (Trusty Shellbacks) are organized into a "Court of Neptune" and induct the Slimy Pollywogs into "the mysteries of the Deep". xWMo0W$NHP3lK[miP2c'g=VB"=d3q3oLP\.X~bSFK The ceremony was conducted by our steward who took his role as Neptune very seriously and appointed some of the pirates to cleanse us right with soap and water. Most prominently, ocean scientists are known to perform similar ceremonies. The US Navy holds a massive, two-day line crossing ceremony wherein experienced sailors (those who have been across the equator) are called Shellbacks, Trusty Shellbacks and Honorable Shellbacks, the Sons of Neptune. This having completed, an entire round of the shop is taken to commemorate the event altogether. "We have the same sort of ceremony in my country," said Lt. j.g. When a ship must cross the Equator reasonably close to one of these meridians, the ship's captain might plot a course across the Golden X so that the ship's crew can be initiated as Golden or Emerald/Royal Diamond Shellbacks. Each ship might have their own traditions and nuances, but the fundamental structure goes something like this: Many accounts dwell only on the final, elaborate ceremony that takes place on the day a ship traverses the equator, but the month leading up to King Neptune's arrival, when the Pollywogs are separated off from the Shellbacks, is also significant.
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